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Since there's no official images of Amazon's TV box, here's the next best thing. AP Photo/Paul Sakuma
web streaming
Amazon preparing to launch its own TV box service for March
It’s rumoured that the company will roll out the Android-powered device in March.
ALONGSIDE BUILDING UP its own collection of web TV shows, Amazon wants to bring web TV to the big screen by releasing its own TV box service.
Amazon has been working on the project for a while now and is expected to release it sometime in March, according to Re/Code.
While Amazon had originally planned to release it before Christmas, it abandoned those plans and delayed the project.
The box will work similar to Roku and Apple’s own offerings, allowing viewers to stream web-based shows as well as download apps and view them on their TV. It’s believed that it will used a forked version of Android, similar to what it uses for its Kindle Fire tablets.
Tying in with this development is the company working on developing its catalogue of original web TV shows, releasing its second group of pilot shows earlier this month. Since they received a positive response and Amazon has its own streaming service, developing a product which brings those shows to ordinary TVs makes sense.
Amazon also plans to merge Lovefilm Instant and Amazon Prime together to create Prime Instant Video, a new streaming service from 26th February.
Lovefilm Instant provides unlimited streaming of more than 15,000 films and TV programmes, while Amazon announced it would be increasing its investment in exclusive content and original programming.
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